Natural Foot Care (soaps, lotions and vegan shoes!)
We only get one pair of feet, so it pays to take care of them. Rather than using chemicals and stuffing them into pointed uncomfortable shoes, use natural products and give them some love and care!
Friendly foot soap is vegan and free from palm oil. Avoid essential oils for pregnancy/nursing. Keep away from pets due to cocoa butter and essential oils.
The Foot Book (how to take care of your feet)
The Foot Book is the ultimate guide to taking care of your feet, penned by two highly-trained (podiatrists). It explains how our feet (and walking) works. Learn how to prevent and heal common foot problems in adults and children. Many issues can be solved by buying good shoes.
It also will save you money on buying remedies that don’t work. For instance, the authors explain that bunions are a ‘bony problem’, so spending money on soft tissue splints won’t work.
It also has tips and help for:
- Hammertoe
- Corns & Calluses
- Nail & Foot Fungus
- Ingrown toenails
- Ball of Foot Pain
- Gout
- Warts
- Lumps, Bumps & Masses
- Heel Pain
- Flat Feet & High Arches
- Arch Pain
- Achilles Tendinitis
- Arthritis
- Child Foot Pain
- Sports Injuries
- Skin Cancers
- Diabetes & Feet
Solutions for Common Foot Problems
Some issues need just a few tweaks, others call for medical help. Here’s a cheat sheet for natural foot fixes:
- Bunions (wear wide shoes and toe spacers, do foot exercises above). Seek help for severe pain or rapid growth.
- Corns & Calluses (use a pumice stone and foot oil, and wear roomy shoes. Seek help for bleeding, infection or if you have diabetes.
- Blisters (clean with saline, cover loosely and avoid popping). Seek help for signs of infection.
- Ingrown toenails (use warm salt water soaks, and lift edge with clean cotton). Seek head for spreading redness or pus.
- Cracked heels (daily oil, soft socks and gentle exfoliation). Seek help for deep cracks and ongoing pain).
- Nail infections (diluted cider vinegar, keep nails short). Seek help if they spread or there is no improvement).
- Tendinitis (rest, ice, gentle stretching). Seek help for persistent swelling/pain.
- Gout (stay hydrated, avoid rich foods, try cherry juice). Get a copy of The Vegan 8 cookbook (these recipes helped to heal the author’s husband’s gout). No oil or gluten, but she is really talented, so the meals taste great! Seek help for high fever or severe attacks.
Diabetes and Special Foot Considerations
Diabetes reduces feeling and blood flow in the feet, so even tiny injuries can turn serious (and even lead to amputation). Inspect your feet daily for cuts, redness, or swelling.
Safe habits for diabetic foot care:
- Wash and dry feet gently every day
- Moisturise, but skip between the toes
- Don’t walk barefoot – even indoors
- Wear seamless socks and well-fitted shoes
- See a foot specialist at least once a year
Stopping smoking is very important, as is checking water temperatures when bathing (people with diabetes sometimes can’t feel hot or cold). Read more tips to prevent diabetes.
Tips for strong and healthy toenails
Sienna Glass Nail File is an everlasting nail file that never goes blunt and has over 3,000 top reviews. Glass nail files have a finer grit than emery boards, so you can file in both directions without worry of splitting or peeling, though file in one direction, for best results.
This plant-based bristle nail brush is made with sisal fibres on a FSC-certified beechwood base,, good to clean gardening hands. Air-dry to prevent mould (not near damp sinks, then compost at end of life.
Massage cuticles with a little olive oil or almond oil every evening. To push them back, soak your hands for five minutes in warm water, then gently nudge cuticles back with a wooden stick.
For nail infections, reduce alcohol, refined grains and sugar (including fruit juice). Use a natural cotton bud to ‘paint’ nails with coconut oil then cover with a plaster, until nails grow out. Podiatrists do not recommend tea tree oil as it could cause contact dermatitis. Also switch to natural nail polish.
Ahinsa vegan shoes (designed by physiotherapists)
Ahinsa Shoes are unique in that they are not just vegan, but designed by physiotherapists, to follow the natural shape of the foot. So instead of cramming your toes into shoes not made for feet, these are ideal for anyone who likes comfortable walking or has issues with their feet.
Instead of making your feet and calves uncomfortable after long walks, these shoes activate long muscle chains that pass through the whole body to strengthen your body, and even stimulate brain centres. Many people say they are so comfortable, they even forget if they have blisters or callouses.
Made in the EU, these shoes are verified as good for the feet by a local university, and sold in a wide range of styles and sizes, for men and women. With fast easy exchanges, they are super-comfortable with triple-cushioning.
Founder Lukáš used to treat people with walking problems. Then realised all the good work was undone, when they crammed their feet into bad shoes. He designed a pair of sandals for his three-year-old son, and now his idea is a thriving European brand.
Made with quality vegan materials in Slovakia and Croatia, you won’t find a more comfortable pair of shoes or sandals! Each pair is sewn by hand, and designed to last for years.
Made from quality comfortable vegan materials
The materials range from eco-friendly hemp to soft vegan nubuck to vegan fur (their Finnish customers say these keep them warm, when walking in snow). And the special membrane even wicks away moisture from the feet.
The latest range uses apple waste, a ‘fruit leather’ that combines vegan leathers with leftover fruits from the Italian apple industry. Other vegan leathers are made from eco-friendly materials like corn. Many of the hiking boots have a waterproof membrane, to be suitable for walking in all weathers, even rainy Lake Districts!
As European shoes are sold in different sizes, the website has a clear guide on how to choose the correct size, and measure your feet. All you need is a box, a measuring tape and a wall!
Ahinsa shoes are not compostable. But you can put used soles and shoes in textile banks. From there, the fabric gets shredded and turned into industrial products like carpet insulation.
Do not wash Ahinsa shoes, as this will undo all the good they do for your feet. Also don’t dry near radiators or other heating, in order to preserve their features and life.
You can clean their vegan leather shoes with a damp cloth. Clean their recycled coconut waste Malai shoes with coconut oil.
Fun and whacky facts about animal feet!
Have you ever thought about how amazing our feet are? They walk us everywhere, keep us upright and some people even use them to dance or hike up mountains. But of course, most other creatures have feet. Let’s look at how amazing other animals’ feet are too!
- Rhinos have very dainty feet, considering their huge size. So to avoid weight-bearing pressure, they walk on their tippy-toes!
- Elephants’ pads act like shock absorbers, letting these giants walk softly.
- Cats walk on their toes for balance and silent hunting.
- Geckos have toe pads covered in tiny hairs that let them scale walls and even hang upside down. They also have sticky feet to walk up walls, just like Spiderman!
- Camels walk on wide, leathery pads that stop them from sinking in sand.
Blue-footed booby birds have white bodies, but bright blue feet. The males use these to show and attract a mate, by showing their feet to the females. Whoever has the brightest blue feet – gets the girl!
